Gate-valve.



PATENTED DEG. 26, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTCFI:l JfL'ZZ/mZZaizd y BY Mm ATTORNEYS.

SNI

H. MILLHOLLAND.

GATE VALVE APPLICATION FILED JAN.29,1903.

No. 808,561. PATENTED DBC. 26, 1905,

H. MILLHOLLAND GATE VALVE.

AYPLIGATION FILED JAN. 29, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTRNES uNrrnD STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HENRY MILLHOLLAND, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DARLlNG PUMP & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., OF WILLIAMS- PORT, PENNSYLVANIA, A LIMITED JOINT STOCK COMPANY ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

GATE-VALVE..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 26, 1905.

To all whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, HENRY MILLHOLLAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Gate Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in gatevalves, and particularly in thatl class of such 1o valves having rotative parallel disks operated by Wedges or spreading devices; and the present invention has for objects, among others, to provide a novel construction whereby the main or body wedge-block supports all the movable parts and whereby the thickness of the valve is reduced to a minimum, thus reducing the weight and amount of material necessary for the construction of the valve to the minimum and incidentally rezo ducing to the minimum the weight of the valve-casing by reducing the distance between its opposite valve-seats; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be 2 5 hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the gate-valve embodying my invention. Fig. '2 isa transverse section thereof, showing a different form of con- 3o nection between the valve-stem and the valve. Fig. 3 is a detail l erspective View of the main or body wedge-b ook with the bottom wedgeblock suspended thereon. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the main or body wedgelock. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the bottom wedge-block. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail perspective views of the opposite disks. Fig. 6a shows a modified form of trunnion, and Figs. 4a and 4b illustrate modified forms 4o of the projections on the main or body wedgeblock for supporting the bottom wedge-block.

In carrying out my invention I seek t0 so construct the several parts as to avoid any unnecessary space between the outer faces of the opposite valve plates or disks, and in doing this I bear in mind the necessity of constructing the studs on the valve plates or disks of sufficient length to properly support the said parts in both the open and closed 5o position of the valves, as well as the fact that the said studs should not project in the closed position of the valve into the central space or bore A of the main or body wedge-block A, such space or bore being the clearance-space for the screw B, by which the valve is ordinarily raised or lowered. I also bear in mind the desirability of supporting the disks C so the latter can freely turn and so their rotary motion will not be impeded in any degree by the weight or friction of any separate parts operating thereon.

In the construction shown the valve-casing D may be of ordinary form, having the opposite seats D and the base-abutment E,

upon which the bottom wedge-block bears when the valve is lowered to closed position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The main or body wedge-block A has the longitudinal bore or passage A and is provided with the bearings a for the studs C of the disks C, said bearings a being in the nature of openings leading from the opposite sides of the wedge-block A into the central passage or bore A. On one side the main or body Wedge-block A has a projection A2 surrounding one of the openings a, and designed to support the bottom wedge-block F. The main block A has the inclined or wedge surfaces a at its opposite sides, which oppose the inclined surface f of the bottom wedge F, said surfaces f being at the edges of the side plates f and the front plate F of the block F being provided with an opening F2, which fits over the projection A2 of the body A, so the bottom wedge-block will be supported on the projection A2 of the section A, as shown in Fig. 3, when the parts are assembled, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw- 1n s.

gWhen the parts are assembled, it will be noticed the studs C of the valve-plates project into the bearings a, but do not extend into the clearance-space A formed 1n the body or block, and the valve-plates rest flat against the opposite sides of the body-block A and there is no lost space between the opposite outer surfaces of the valve-plates. It will also be noticed that the valve-plates when the valve is raised slightly are free to rotate on their aXes, so that new surface ofl contact may be presented between the gates and their seats, and this rotation of the disks or plates will not be impeded by any frictional bearing of the bottom wedge-block on IOO the studs of said disks or plates, as the bottom block is supported entirely upon the main or body wedge-block, as will be understood fromFig. 3 of the drawings. It will also be noticed that the movable partsnamely, the opposite valve-plates and the bottom wedge-block-are all supported directly upon the main or body wedge-block A and are moved positively by said body-block in the operation of the parts to open the valve.

It will be noticed that in fitting the studs of the disks or valve-plates to the' bearings in the body-block sufficient allowance is made for the release of the bottom wedge-block before the disks are raised, this being secured by loosely fitting the parts together, as will be understood from the drawings.

The studs on the valve-plates may be made cylindrical, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, or may be slightly conical, if desired, as shown at G in Fig. 6a. It also may be found desirable in some instances to make the proj ection on the main wedge-block for supporting the bottom wedge-block square, as shown at Hin Fig. 4a, or slightly conical, as shown at I in Fig. 4b, instead of cylindrical, as shown in Fig. 4'.

In operating my gate-valve downward pressure may be exerted upon the valve by means of a screw B, as shown in Fig. l, or a rod B', as shown in Fig. 2, in the ordinary manner. When this is done, the pressure on the top wedge acting in connection with the lower wedge the latter bearing upon the abutment E in the casing will spread the parallel disks or valve-plates against their seats, thus closing the valve securely, as desired. When it is desired to open the valve, the lifting of the body or main wedge-block releases the valve plates or disks by the upward movement of the body-section A along the wedge surface of the bottom wedge F, after which the further upward movement of the body or wedge blockAwill lift the valve to open position, as desired.

It will be seen that an important feature of my invention is the supporting of the bottom wedge-block directly upon the main or body wedge-block and the construction whereby such supporting of the bottom wedge-block cooperates in securing the minimum width or distance between the working faces or valveseats of the disks, thus effecting an economy in the ,construction of the valves by economizing the amount of material necessary in the construction of the valves and incidentally reducing to the minimum the weight of materialin the casing, thus providing valves and operating devices which will embody the maximum strength and efficiencyin the minimum space. As before suggested, the supporting of the bottom wedge-block directly upon the main wedge-block and entirely independent of the valve-disks or either of the disks secures a direct operation of the bottom wedge-block by the main wedge-block and avoids any interference by the bottom wedge-block with the rotary movement of the disks or valve-plates.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The improvement in gate-valves herein describedcomprisingthe main orbodywedgeblock having a longitudinal bore or assage and provided in two opposite sides wit openings forming bearings for the trunnions of the valve-disks and having surrounding one of said openings a projection whereon to support the bottom wedge-block and provided on its two other opposite faces with inclined surfaces, the bottom wedge-block having side plates provided with inclined surfaces coperating with those of the body wedgeblock, and a front plate having an opening receiving the projection on the main wedgeblock and fitting over said projection whereby the bottom wedge-block may be supported thereon and directly by the main or body wedge-block, the op osite valve disks or plates provided wit studs turning in the bearings in the body wedge-block and the casing for said valve, all substantially as described, whereby the bottom wedge-block and the valve plates or disks may be supported directly by the body wedge-block substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination in the gate-valve with the body wedge-block of the valve disks or plates supported at the opposite sides thereof, and the bottom block supported directly by the body wedge-block and operating between the same and one of the valve plates or disks substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the body wedgeblock having a longitudinal opening or bore and provided in its opposite sides with openings eading to said bore and forming bearings for the studs of the valve plates or disks, the valve plates or disks arranged on opposite sides of the bodywedge-block and having studs projecting into the bearing-openings thereof, and the bottom wedge-block operating between the body wedge-block and one of the valve-plates and supported directly py tllie body wedge-block substantially as set ort 4. The combination in a gate-valve of parallel rotative disks, having journal-studs, the main wedge-block having apertures for the reception of said studs and provided around one of said apertures with a support for the bottom wedge-block, and the bottom wedgeblock suspended from said support substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination in a gate-valve of the valvelates and the body or main wedgeblock aving on one side a projection forminwardly-projecting IOO IIO

IIS

ISO

disks and supported independently of the connections between the said disks and the bodywedge-blookwherebythebottomwedgeblock is carried by the-body independently of the rotative disks.

HENRY MILLHOLLAN D.

Witnesses GEORGE E. GRAFF, Jos. A. HOUGH. 

